WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Midwestern State (8-2, 2-0 Lone Star) dominated Sul Ross St. (2-6, 0-2 Lone Star) in a straight-set victory, 25-11, 25-15, 25-11, on Saturday at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The Mustangs boasted a .378 hitting percentage, recording 44 kills, while Sul Ross St. struggled with a .080 hitting percentage.
Midwestern State opened the first set with effective offensive plays, quickly countering Sul Ross State's opening point. The team capitalized on several attack errors by the visitors, with notable contributions from
Trinity Vinzant and
Arrianna Fields, both assisted by
Alayna Guerrero.
As the set progressed, the Maroon & Gold established a solid lead, exploiting Sul Ross State's errors and maintaining pressure with successful kills from Vinzant and
Jaiden Wright. The team closed the set decisively with a 25-11 lead, setting a strong foundation for the match.
Midwestern State initiated the second set with a commanding performance, highlighted by
Jenna Redding's service ace and a series of scoring contributions from
Demi Stauffenberg and Guerrero. The team quickly established a 5-0 lead, propelled by decisive plays that included kills from
Isabella Dickens and Guerrero.
Midway through the set, MSU extended their advantage to 10-2, with Vinzant and Stauffenberg each registering kills. Despite a few points conceded, MSU continued to press on, with
Emerson Reedy delivering consecutive kills to help maintain a solid lead.
The set concluded with the Mustangs capitalizing on the Lobos' errors, including multiple service errors, to secure a 25-15 victory, further solidifying their position in the match.
Midwestern State launched the third set with a strong start, capitalizing on an attack error by Sul Ross State's Anna Kasper and a kill by Dickens to take an early 2-0 lead. After a brief rally by the Lobos that tied the score, Vinzant's kill, followed by a service ace, fueled a 6-0 run that pushed the home team ahead 9-5.
MSU maintained momentum with key contributions from Vinzant and Reedy, expanding their lead to 13-6. Despite a couple of service errors, the team continued to extend their advantage through effective blocking and additional kills from Guerrero and Fields.
Closing out the set decisively, the Mustangs converted on a series of plays featuring kills by Fields and an attack error by Sul Ross State, sealing the set 25-11.
Trinity Vinzant led the MSU attack with 15 kills and added a service ace, finishing with 16 points. Guerrero played a key role in setting, contributing 37 assists and adding a service ace. Redding contributed defensively with nine digs and also served one ace. Stauffenberg recorded six kills and 11 digs, adding to her all-around performance with a block assist.
Looking ahead, the Maroon & Gold travel to face St. Edward's (Texas) on Friday, October 3. The match is set for 6 p.m. at the Recreation and Convocation Center.
